Criminal Minds: Episode 1

This show starts off with a literal bang as we’re immediately thrust into the world of our heroes and their stories, helping us learn what’s shaped them into who they are today. But with a determined killer on the loose and a ticking clock, it’s going to take more cooperation than some of our heroes may be ready for to find him and prevent another terrible crime from happening.

EPISODE 1 RECAP

In a sea of pandemonium, special forces swarm a building as a reporter tells the audience about a serial bomber. Just then, the building behind them blows up and throws everyone to the ground. Through the muffled sound and ringing, one officer, KIM HYUN-JOON (Lee Jun-ki), turns around before entering the fray.

KANG KI-HYUNG (Sohn Hyun-joo) leads his team inside a building where the serial bomber is currently detained. His subordinates inform him about the bomber’s past, and Ki-hyung barks out orders, asking them to find a connection between the bomber and the hospital where the last bomb remains.

Special forces find the bomb, and Hyun-joon watches from behind a protective barrier while a young operative is tasked with defusing it. Seeing the young operative’s nervous face, Hyun-joon tries to switch places with him, but another operative stops him, citing protocol.

Over a walkie-talkie, Ki-hyung instructs the young operative to cut the white wire, and with shaking hands, he does so. The time continues to count down, and the young operative asks for the answer to the final hurdle: push “pass” or “by-pass?”

Ki-hyung turns to the serial bomber they now have in custody, thinking to himself that the man is lying about how to diffuse the bomb. One of his subordinates comes in to inform him that the bomber, who sports a large burn scar on his face, was never burned during his military service. Armed with this new information, Ki-hyung pauses when the bomber instructs them to push “pass,” and instead, he tells the young operative to push “by-pass.”

Enraged, his superior seizes the walkie-talkie, but Ki-hyung argues that the bomber would never pass up the chance to detonate the bomb—even if it means imprisonment. However, Ki-hyung is unable to answer when his superior asks if he’s certain, so his superior orders the operative to push “pass.”

Hearing two conflicting commands, the young operative hesitates as he stares at the two options, and then pushes “pass.” Before anyone can react, the bomb explodes and envelopes the hall in flames.

The aftermath of the explosion turns the building into a wasteland, and amid the rubble, both Hyun-joon and Ki-hyung stand stunned. Soon, medics arrive and take away the injured and deceased, and Hyun-joon weeps once he’s alone outside.

A year passes, and in a café, a young woman messages someone about buying a car. She meets with the seller, who lets her test drive the vehicle and check the engine. She’s satisfied with the car, so when the seller offers to take her home, the young woman happily accepts without a second thought.

As he drives her home, he begins to ignore her directions, and then locks the door. Panicking, the woman asks to be let out, but the seller knocks her unconscious. She wakes up blindfolded and chained inside a metal cage, and when she hears footsteps approaching, she begs for her life. Silent, her captor merely raises a pair of scissors to her fingernails, and the woman screams.

At the National Criminal Investigation (NCI) building, Chief Director BAEK SAN tells someone over the phone that they cannot move without an official request from the police. Finishing his call, he turns to the two agents in his office, both from Ki-hyung’s unit during the serial bomber incident last year.

YOO MIN-YOUNG (Lee Sun-bin) informs the chief director about the recent abduction case, and HA SUN-WOO (Moon Chae-won) calls it a serial murder case. Chief Director Baek wonders what Ki-hyung would do in this situation, and asks them when he’s coming back—this may be his last chance to return to the NCI.

A modified voice says that killing people is hard, and Ki-hyung turns off the recording as he addresses his class. Ki-hyung explains that there are two famous voices in Korea: “his voice” and “this voice.” The recording they just heard of “this voice” belongs to “The Reaper” who murdered twenty-one people in a span of ten years.

The Reaper always left behind an item from his previous victim at the crime scene, but mysteriously disappeared seven years ago. The reigning theory is that the killer was arrested for unrelated charges, but Ki-hyung thinks it unlikely that The Reaper would choose to be an anonymous prisoner when he’s an attention-seeker.

Another possibility is that he died, which Ki-hyung admits is the only way for an obsessive killer to stop. Leaving the question open-ended, he then poses another one: Does The Reaper have a mental disorder, or is he innately a psychopath? He reminds his students that a psychopath is still someone’s neighbor and family member, and with that, class is dismissed.

Having slipped in during class, Sun-woo meets with Ki-hyung, who skims over the case file she handed him. Sun-woo tells him that there’s only four days to save the recently abducted woman, but Ki-hyung closes the file and asks her if she ever thought that they might be wrong.

He gets up to leave, but Sun-woo stops him: “If there is another voice inside your head shouting, don’t hide it. That’s the most violent thing you can do to yourself.” She tells him that he once told her that, and asks for his help.

Hyun-joon drives to an abandoned building, which is the last place the abducted woman’s phone turned off. His partner complains that it’s just a simple missing person case, but Hyun-joon ignores him as he goes through the evidence in his head. However, his partner receives a call and tells Hyun-joon that the suspect was caught.

Meanwhile, Ki-hyung reads to his son about a watch that will grant the user ten minutes in exchange for their happiest memory, and his son says that he would accept it if he could help his dad. They decide to play hide-and-seek, but as Ki-hyung counts, he’s brought back to the explosion from last year and sees himself standing in the rubble, making eye contact with Hyun-joon.

His wife finds him dazed and nervous, and with a gentle shake of the arm, she helps him return to his senses. She asks if he’s all right, but Ki-hyung says everything’s fine before asking about his wife’s doctor’s visit. She teases him for not realizing it sooner, and tells him that she’s eight weeks pregnant.

Later that evening, Ki-hyung looks over the abducted woman case files and remembers Sun-woo’s words. His wife walks in then and asks if he met with Sun-woo, since she called earlier. She tells her husband that he should return to the fight, but he avoids answering and hugs his wife as he asks what they should name their child.

Min-young reports to the group about the serial murders, and LEE HAN (Go Yoon), another original member from the bomb incident, explains the killer’s methods. Sun-woo points out how the killer is destroying evidence in the more recent murders and says that he’s learning.

At the police station, Hyun-joon tells the chief that they captured the wrong person and explains how the current suspect lost all his jobs as a deliveryman because he has sleeping problems and can’t drive properly.

Right then, Chief Director Baek and his crew enter the station, and they announce the new joint-investigation between the NCI and the police. Hyun-joon scoffs at the idea and tells them to not kill people before leaving the office.

Minus Hyun-joon, all the officers listen to Min-young and Han as they brief them about the serial killer. They explain the killer’s patterns of abduction, victims, and method of murder, and Sun-woo tells the group that they only have forty-eight hours before the next victim dies.

Hyun-joon helps out at a restaurant, and the pictures on the wall reveal the deceased young operative with his family. After his partner finds him there and leaves, NA-YOUNG, the young operative’s sister, comes up to Hyun-joon. Cutely, they nag at each other like siblings before he also leaves.

Hyun-joon returns to the scene where the abducted woman’s phone was found before beginning to visually retrace her steps. He realizes that she must have willingly entered the car, and goes to the café where she last used her card.

Following the little bread crumbs left behind by the abducted woman, Hyun-joon walks the streets, reimagining that rainy afternoon as he follows the trail of CCTV cameras. As Hyun-joon reaches the end of his trail, he spots Sun-woo standing at the corner.

Min-young and Han interview the abducted woman’s brother, and his dog barks at the intruders. He tells them that their dog must be stressed, sensing that his owner is missing, but Han corrects the man, explaining that the dog must be smelling a chemical from people’s sweat glands.

The brother starts to question Han, thinking he’s too young to be a professor, but Han corrects him again, needlessly sharing how he has two doctorates and has an IQ of 187: “Yes, I’m a genius.” However, the resident genius shies away when the dog barks at him, and then asks if the abducted woman was interested in classic cars, having just found her scrapbook.

Back on the street, Hyun-joon asks if Sun-woo was following him, but she ignores him as she explains that the killer used this blind spot to kidnap the victim. Hyun-joon already deduced all of that, but still doesn’t know why the abducted woman circled around the perimeter.

Sun-woo receives a call from Min-young, and after learning that the abducted woman was looking for a used car, Hyun-joon realizes that she must have been test driving the car. Having gotten some answers, Sun-woo offers Hyun-joon a ride back, but he rejects her invitation since he has his own car… which then gets towed. Ha.

Thus, Hyun-joon has no choice but to ride with Sun-woo, who asks him when he realized that this case wasn’t a simple missing person case. He doesn’t answer, so Sun-woo continues talking, guessing that he used to be part of the special forces. She explains that it’s because subconsciously scopes his surroundings and uses a unique tie for his shoelaces.

Unimpressed, Hyun-joon calls profiling useless, which only spurs Sun-woo to start profiling him. She notes his strong outer behavior, but from his neat handwriting and meticulous note-taking, he must be hiding his softer personality, which may be a result from a past family trauma.

Hyun-joon neither acknowledges nor denies the assumptions, and instead returns the favor. He surmises that she must be a rude only child who appears neat to try and hide her chaotic thoughts. He then asks if she’s the one with family problems, and Sun-woo remains silent. A phone call interrupts their conversation, and Sun-woo hears that his headquarters has been moved to the NCI.

Ki-hyung goes to a storage room where he retrieves a file concerning a deceased girl. Elsewhere, Sun-woo visits NANA HWANG (Yoo Sun), another member of Ki-hyung’s old team, and she scours the internet to find any trace of the seller. However, she comes up empty-handed.

Meanwhile, the abducted woman lies in the cage and jumps up when an alarm rings. The killer reaches through the bars to stroke her cheek, and then strangles her with a metal chain. Though she struggles, her efforts are futile.

Sun-woo tells the group that the killer lures women by selling used goods on a website, but as she’s giving out orders, Ki-hyung enters and says that it’s already too late. Hyun-joon questions his abrupt assertion, and Ki-hyung recognizes him as one of the operatives in the serial bomber incident. Hyun-joon asks what will happen to the dead and brushes past Ki-hyung as he leaves.

However, just as Ki-hyung predicted, the abducted woman’s body is soon discovered in a food disposal bin. The NCI agents investigate the body at the scene, and notice a digression in the killer’s methods. Han proposes that the killer might have dissociative identity disorder, but Ki-hyung dismisses the idea since none of the suspects match. Since everything except for the marks on the body are the same, Ki-hyung guesses the killer could be purposefully misdirecting them.

Hyun-joon thinks back to the explosion, and flashes back to the young operative’s funeral procession. Hyun-joon had carried his portrait as their squad saluted their fallen comrades. In the back, Ki-hyung also attended, but the operatives complained about his presence, blaming him for their comrades’ deaths.

Likewise, Ki-hyung remembers Hyun-joon’s earlier accusations and thinks back to the funeral. Standing on a hilltop, Chief Director Baek had asked Ki-hyung if he was wrong, and Ki-hyung told him that this could have been prevented if he was more confident with his profiling.

Interrupting his thoughts, Sun-woo enters and asks if he knows Hyun-joon, and he tells her that Hyun-joon was an operative during the serial bomb case. Though the circumstances make it awkward, Min-young confesses to being happy to have Ki-hyung return, and with some nudging, Han agrees while Nana sends some virtual cheers.

Han asks Ki-hyung how he knew the victim would be dead today, so he explains that the police missed a victim: a runaway girl. Hence, the abducted woman was the fifth victim and only had three days to live (instead of four, like they initially believed).

Ki-hyung briefs the entire team about the killer’s profile by stating his height, weight, appearance, and occupation. Ki-hyung stands in front of the hooded killer as he explains that their suspect probably suffers from paranoia and uses killing as a method to display power.

He then tells the group that the killer lacks the ability to have sex and mostly likely has a criminal record, which means someone in this room has probably already seen him. On a final note, Ki-hyung says that until they catch him, the killer will continue his murderous spree. The camera pans across a busy police station before stopping at a particular person, revealing his face and making him the prime suspect.

Meanwhile, the prime suspect finds his sixth target and sends a message to a female student about selling sneakers. As fate would have it, the student is the young operative’s sister, Na-young.

The police officers create a stack of suspects to send to the NCI, but Hyun-joon takes a file with him since he thinks they should catch the culprit themselves. Elsewhere, Na-young waits at an intersection, remembering Hyun-joon’s worn sneakers. (Aw, she wants to buy the sneakers for him.)

The suspect drives up to Na-young and convinces her to inspect the shoes inside the car since he can’t park along the road. Na-young agrees, but as she examines the shoes, the suspect locks the doors and speeds up. Remaining outwardly calm, Na-young takes out her phone and secretly calls Hyun-joon.

Unfortunately, Hyun-joon misses her call since he was talking to someone else, but he immediately calls her back. As Na-young’s phone rings, the suspect puts on his glove, and Na-young answers before the suspect knocks her unconscious. Hyun-joon hears her screams before the call ends, and though he tries to call back, the suspect has already thrown the phone out the window.

Sun-woo informs Ki-hyung about the sixth victim, and Nana quickly searches the nearby security cameras for any clues. Hyun-joon is already on the scene as he checks the voicemail Na-young left. She asks him why he’s not answering, but Hyun-joon hears another voice in the background.

He spots a food truck nearby, and the owner of the truck matches the voice he heard. He asks the owner if she saw Na-young, and though she did, she wasn’t able to recognize the man she left with. Right then, Sun-woo appears and brandishes a photo of the suspect.

Luckily, the owner remembers that they left in a silver SUV, and Sun-woo notices an illegal parking control car driving in the vicinity. They stop the patrol car and easily find the license plate number of the suspect’s vehicle.

Na-young is blindfolded and chained in a metal cage just like the abducted woman from before. The suspect watches her panic through his security cameras, but he’s interrupted by a call from a driver who scratched his car.

The suspect checks a different camera to look at the accident and then looks out the window to check if the coast is clear. He comes out to deal with the driver, who turns out to be none other than Min-young. As the suspect bends down to check the scratch, Ki-hyung comes out with his gun drawn, and the suspect is swiftly apprehended.

Hyun-joon and Sun-woo enter the suspect’s house and make their way to the basement. Na-young hears sounds and nervously asks if anyone is there, but through a clever set of tense reveals, we see that she’s actually being held in a different location.

The basement is empty, and Hyun-joon asks where the suspect is currently detained. Sun-woo tries to calm him, reminding him that they still have time, but he coldly tells her that he doesn’t believe in her profiling nonsense.

Min-young and Han investigate the suspect’s room, and they comment on how the room doesn’t feel like it belongs to a killer. Han notices a baduk game, and after examining the board, he guesses the suspect is an extreme assailant.

He suddenly stares at Min-young and leans in closer, much to her surprise. However, he’s only reaching for a criminal psychology book written by Ki-hyung. Han flips through the pages and finds a new article clipping about Ki-hyung and the bomb incident.

The suspect addresses Ki-hyung by name and asks what he thinks of those who criticized his work. He admits that he personally thinks Ki-hyung did nothing wrong since it’s impossible to stop a monster.

Ki-hyung doesn’t let his taunts faze him, but rather asks the suspect if he’s confessing to the murders. He then questions him about Na-young’s location, but the suspect smiles, acting like he has no earthly idea who Ki-hyung’s talking about.

Suddenly, Hyun-joon bursts into the dining room and shoves his gun into the suspect’s temple. Ki-hyung stands up, and Hyun-joon whips his gun towards him in response. Not even blinking, Ki-hyung grabs the gun and asks Hyun-joon if he’s going to kill the only man who knows where Na-young is. Ki-hyung tells him to go back and do his job, and he’ll do his job.

In the hall, Hyun-joon hits the wall and screams in frustration. Sun-woo admits that profiling doesn’t solve anything, and like everything else humans do, it’s prone to mistakes. However, she asks what Hyun-joon is doing instead, and tells him to remain level-headed if he wants to save Na-young.

In the suspect’s room, the officers try a password written on a sticky note, but just as Han warns them not to use it, the computer turns off. Fortunately, Han is able to recover the hard drive, but the suspect has placed a lock on his computer that will only allow five tries. They call Nana for help, but she tells them that it would be much faster to retrieve the password from the suspect’s head.

Meanwhile, Ki-hyung and Sun-woo watch the suspect get hauled away and note that he didn’t have any marks on his body despite the evidence that says that the last victim fought back. They also find it weird that someone suffering from paranoia and OCD would throw away the body in such an open and public area. Putting the pieces together, they deduce the suspect must have an accomplice, which could also mean he’s not even the “actual” killer.

As the police continue to search for more clues, Hyun-joon finds a business card in the suspect’s car. Elsewhere, Ki-hyung and Sun-woo start profiling the accomplice, and surmise that he must have a more dominant personality than the suspect. Thus, they decide to look into the suspect’s records while he was in a juvenile protection center to look for possible accomplices.

Sun-woo finds the place listed on the business card and looks for a man named Ma Hyun-tae. The mechanics at the shop he goes to don’t take kindly to Hyun-joon’s orders, but Hyun-joon simply kicks a man’s head through a window and pulls out his gun.

Meanwhile, Sun-woo meets with the suspect’s parole officer, who doesn’t remember anything until a worker mentions a friend named Ma Hyun-tae. Nana runs a background check, and finds his current address for Sun-woo.

Ki-hyung interrogates the suspect and mentions how the suspect must have needed a protector while in the juvenile protection center. Ki-hyung drops Ma Hyun-tae’s name, but the suspect only smiles back.

In a dark room, a man watches the news about the serial murders and calls the police to make a report. Before the man can speak, however, a shadow passes across the window, and he looks up in fright. Soon after, Sun-woo arrives at the darkened building, but Ma Hyun-tae is already dead.

She goes through the back door hoping to catch the culprit, but as she exits, a speeding car crashes into her. Sun-woo tumbles in the air and lands on some well-placed boxes, cushioning her fall. However, as she looks up, the culprit walks out of the car and points a gun at her.

COMMENTS

While Hyun-joon has yet to officially enter the fold, he’s already starting to add a nice dynamic to the group as the antagonistic officer who questions the very essence of the NCI profiling team. I’m enjoying all the characters so far, though it’s a bit early to tell where the show will take them. However, one thing is for sure: The cast is phenomenal, and I’m especially enjoying Lee Jun-ki and Sohn Hyun-joo’s performances. As usual, Sohn Hyun-joo is amazing and captures the inner turmoil of Ki-hyung well through even the subtle shifts in eyes or posture. Also, Lee Jun-ki plays the hot-blooded cop wonderfully (which isn’t a surprise given his previous shows), and adds a vulnerable dimension to the character, allowing Hyun-joon to be more than a one-dimensional hero.

In addition, Ha Sun-woo also seems like an interesting character so far. She knows how to motivate people and say the right things to them when she’s trying to get them to act. She was the one who talked with Ki-hyung and made him think about what his heart was truly telling him, and with Hyun-joon, she helped him calm down by provoking him to reconsider his behavior and realize what the best course of action would be to save Na-young. The main trio is definitely showing layers, and I look forward to how the show will develop their relationships.

The show is slick, and the directing feels assured. I enjoyed the camera tricks where Hyun-joon retraced the victim’s last moments as the two scenes were overlaid. While some of the CGI moments seemed a little less polished, overall, I think the director is doing a good job setting up the tone for the show and pushing the plot along.

Coming in with no prior knowledge about the original, I found the case to be interesting even if the development wasn’t the most surprising. While twists are nice, I’d rather have a show be able to build tension and not rely on cheap gimmicks to try and catch the viewers off-guard. In that regard, I think the writer is doing a good job setting up tension and creating a chase between the killer(s) and the NCI team. I also think it’s actually a better sign that the story felt well-paced rather than surprising, because the show is inherently a remake.

I assume some of the audience will already know the cases and certain plot trajectories, so rather than get caught up with twists and trying to trick the viewers, the writer should utilize what works with the original and focus on creating tension and a well-flowing story. Even if the ending is revealed, I’m a firm believer that the journey and the storyteller have a greater influence in setting up an engaging atmosphere, rather than an innate mystery. In that sense, I think Criminal Minds is off to a strong start.

July 28, 2017 at 8:08 PM

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I have not watched the orifinal criminal monds. I was excited for this drama to start. However after I watching half the episode, I realized that I may not be cut out for such violent scenes. I am going to read the recaps though. And take up the show a little later probably.

July 28, 2017 at 8:20 PM

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That was a strong start, in terms of a first episode and in terms of the bombing scene that took place at the beginning of the episode.

I’m enjoying the amount of detail that they’re putting into these cases. The overall vibe the director gives when recreating the scenes pre, post and during the crime is really good. The musical selection also adds to the effect. So far, everything is meshing really well together. Props also have to be given to the visual director and graphic designer working on the team. I loved the overlay of graphics over the actual scenes. Overall, it feels fresh and modern despite being a remake.

There were two scenes I loved the most:

1. The way we discovered Park In Hye’s body had me jumping just like that ahjumma and going wtf. That’s definitely one way of keeping your audience from zoning out. Also, stylistically and narratively it was a nice touch.

2. Hyun Joon and Sun Woo profiling each other in the car. It was a great way for us as the viewers to get to know them a little better while also playing into the tension and reluctance to work together that these characters have going.

I felt it was a lot more natural compared to the scene prior where Lee Han went on a mini spiel about all his degrees. I felt if they’d cut his dialogue off at him commenting on the dog’s ability to smell stress hormones off of a human that scene would have flowed a little better.

“You don’t care about other’s feelings, you have to say everything you want to with that arrogant tone, and you touch other’s things without permission. You’re probably an only child. And your car has no accessories inside. It makes you seem like a neat person on the outside but in fact, inside, you’re a very complicated person.”

Why oh why was I internally screaming during this whole breakdown of Sun Woo’s character? I loved it so much, I was like YES HYUN JOON TELL ME MORE ABOUT THIS WOMAN I WILL NO DOUBT FALL HEAD OVER HEELS FOR IN THIS SHOW TELL ME MOOOOOORRREEEEE.

You know how there are character’s in a show that you just automatically gravitate to? Especially, at the beginning when you barely know them and have no clear-cut reason why you should be feeling this way? There’s just something about Sun Woo from this very first episode that I clicked with and I just know that as the show continues I’m going to be in her corner rooting for her every step of the way.

Side note: I love the color of the seatbelts in Sun Woo’s car

I have a feeling I’m going to fall for Min Young as well, but in a gradual way as the writers flesh out her character more and more. I truly hope she isn’t sidelined and given little development.

My hope is that they will have the side characters and family members play a recurring role in the series. One of the things I enjoyed about the original series and made fans come back to it despite the predictability of the cases were the characters and their everyday interactions with people outside the BAU...

July 28, 2017 at 8:21 PM

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Lastly, going into this I really thought that Hyun Joon would be one of my favorite characters but I was surprised by how much I didn’t like him all and by the end of this first episode he ended as my least favorite character. I can do a whole analysis on why he rubbed me the wrong way but I’ll just leave it at that and hope that as a character he’ll grow on me. After all, this is only the first episode.

July 28, 2017 at 8:44 PM

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I had the opposite reaction! He's my favorite character. He's there only one I like at all other than Ki-hyung. Most of the profiling squad didn't impress me with their personalities at all. Sun Woo seemed a weird combination of wooden/bland and arrogant. I think I must be missing something in translation because she's supposed to be a good actress. i blame the editing some, too. I would have liked it a lot more if some of the scenes had been shown in a different order and if some of the dialogue had happened in different scenes. I'll keep watching but for now, it's only because of LJK.

July 29, 2017 at 9:00 AM

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I'm sure we will! :) I see why someone might not like Hyun Joon. I think he took some rash, stupid actions. But unlike some of the other characters, because he was more fleshed out, I could understand him. I understood him and sympathized with him and rooted for him even when I knew he was making bad decisions. I feel like the writers didn't do the same for the other characters. And especially the secondary characters, who are not fleshed out at all, they come across almost as caricatures--but I'm sure that will change as the season progresses. I just don't connect with them so far at all. For now it feels like you could remove any of the secondary characters from the story or replace them with a different actor, and you would barely notice. But that I'm sure will change (and I hope I'll get to like Sun Woo more).

July 29, 2017 at 8:56 AM

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I guess because I've seen good actors with similar character descriptions, but they managed to convey that in a less wooden, expressionless manner (for example, Shi Mok in Forest of Secrets and Jung Moon in Bad Guys). Cold and arrogant doesn't mean a complete lack of facial expression in key scenes. I'm not saying she's a bad actress, I'm saying that there must be something she's conveying with her word choice and manner of speaking that I'm missing (I'm not a native Korean speaker). I believe people who says she's a good actress. But I can't see it myself, so I must be missing something.

July 29, 2017 at 6:16 PM

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IMO there are many types of cold and arrogant vibes that people can gave out. Have met many in real life who are turns out very great people but hard to approach and gave lack facial emotions. I think that's the type that her character is written.

I agree with you that one can appear arrogant and cold without being expressionless and I much prefer for Sun Woo to be that way. However, just like I have mentioned above, her character description is not only about cold and arrogant but also expressionless. So, I'm pretty sure that's what the writer wants for this character based from the descriptions released about the character, those are mask from her real self and we will find it out later on.

July 29, 2017 at 10:38 AM

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Note: I'm replying like this because the 'reply' button on your more recent comment is gone.

!! See I felt the exact opposite in regards to being able to switch out actors/characters and not have the plot affected. I felt that Hyun Joon came across as just a stereotypical hot-headed detective/agent with a tragic backstory. He didn't bring anything new to the role. And I've seen a lot of beanies on here commenting about how LJK has this AMAZING on-screen presence and he makes everything better and I'm just like......where?! I can't seem to find this great skill that they're all talking about. Which isn't a big deal obviously but it's just really interesting how different these perspectives are.

As for Sun Woo, I'm not a native Korean speaker either but there's just something about her that I picked up on right away. Maybe it's that same thing you're getting from Hyun Joo but I'm not. I also felt that not a lot of the characters were fleshed out during the 1st episode, but I'm okay with that and expect it to happen as we go forehead. My take is that you don't always have to be hit with a character's entire backstory in one-go.

July 29, 2017 at 12:09 PM

Yeah, I don't mind that the other characters weren't fleshed out yet, I expect that will happen. It just means I'm not invested in any of them yet.

Obviously I like LKJ in this, but i don't think the script so far is best for showing off his range. I feel like Two Weeks did that so much better. That role was perfect for him to shine.

I think our different reactions to the show are proof that you can't please everybody know matter what you do. :) But I'm not giving up on Criminal Minds or writing anybody off yet! And it's not like I didn't like it. It's just not what I was expecting or hoping it would be--yet!

July 28, 2017 at 9:31 PM

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I felt the same way about Hyun-joon. He rubs me the wrong way but I can see him growing on me the most as the show progress.

I connect most with Ki-hyung from the get go and Son Hyun-joo is just that good of an actor. So calm and natural. I love both the Gideon and Hotch in him.
Reading to his son and double hugging his pregnant wife. I try not to think any further. Being a family man in that kind of work is very very challenging.
(Me: Go away Seon-woo. Leave him to be with his family).

Ki-hyung talking to his students about "The Reaper." Makes me want to scream "stop, I don't want to think about it."
Introducing the most hated criminal early and all they have is these theories.

Having seen the original, the cases and most of the characters are so similar. It's hard not to compare but I'm trying.

July 28, 2017 at 8:26 PM

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For someone who's a fan of Criminal Minds, I thought this was a good adaptation of Extreme Aggressor which is the pilot episode of the mother show. I liked how they combined the traits of the characters from the US series into the Korean adaptation. Ki-hyung, for example, is a combination of Hotch and Gideon while he more or less profiles like the latter.

July 28, 2017 at 10:57 PM

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The only thing that I didn't like was Reid's Korean version. He is unconvincing. This episode got it's title from Reid's description of the first unsub based on the baduk game. He described him as an "extreme aggressor" type of player.
This kid's acting and what he says doesn't really match. Maybe it's just me.

July 29, 2017 at 3:05 AM

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I second that... Reid Korean version is a pain to watch.

Since CM itself is one of biggest show (13 season), won awards every years (2006-2017) with a lot of avid viewers there's no way that people won't compare and I hope the production team aware for this issue.

However I still enjoy the show since the genre is my cup of tea. Lee Joon-Gi & Son Hyun-Joo are doing well. Both actors are really born with talents. The rest cast I think need to work hard to follow the patterns.

July 29, 2017 at 9:11 PM

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I'm trying really hard not to be a spoiler.
If they keep remaking episodes from the 1st and 2nd season then we'd keep seeing Gideon's personality and traits from Ki-hyung.
Son Hyun-Joo will keep me watching.

July 29, 2017 at 12:00 AM

July 28, 2017 at 8:29 PM

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I've watched the original Criminal Minds and thoroughly enjoyed the whole run, I have been reading a huge amount of people comparing one to the other and complaining about it not being as good.
I however, am enjoying watching this version as much as I have enjoyed watching the original series.
I especially like that they dont censor the victims like I've seen on some Kdrama's, it adds to the tension throughout when you know they are fighting to put away truly horrible people.
Good first episode over-all

July 28, 2017 at 8:30 PM

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I can't find a streaming portal with english subs ???.
So I ended watching raw version just to watch Lee Jun Ki (with or without sub, I know my bias is always phenomenal) and now contended to only having to read the recap. This is so frustrating.

July 28, 2017 at 8:33 PM

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Lee Junki be still my heart. <3 I needed his new show to heal the scar from Moon Lovers and this just might be it. Also Sohn Hyun Joo is A+++, and Moon Chae Won. I am so excited for the rest of the episodes. I'm loving this fast paced story telling by the way, it creates the right amount of suspense and relief.

Just one thing though, I read an article that Lee Junki said there wouldn't be a romance between him and Moon Chae Won and my reaction was o_0. Like!!! You can't give me this pairing then take away all my hopes!! Please show.

July 28, 2017 at 8:40 PM

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Hmm just finished the first episode. I liked the original Criminal Minds, but I wasn't addicted to it. I cannot remember any cases so I don't know if this episode's case is based on one of the originals.

Anyway, it felt like the plot was moving too fast and telling us the introductory info about the current situation and characters. I guess that's how it usually is for the debut episode, but I barely connected any of the characters. I am interested in seeing Hyun Joon vs Ki Hyung though and their dynamics.

Not feeling the tension in this episode. It could have been built better. And did they really need to have someone else Hyun Joon is close to be the one in danger already?

I'm still gonna watch the next episode and will probably continue this drama to the end. I hope it gets better.

July 28, 2017 at 8:44 PM

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I haven't watched the original in years but even without that frame of reference, I think that there's a lot of logical leaps being made in the conclusions that they draw, which makes the profiling that they do seem less evidence-based, or based on flimsy evidence at best. I'm hoping that this is something that they address as we go along because the very premise of the show relies on strong analysis. But coming from episode 2, I can definitely say that the show is stronger when it deviates from its American counterpart (see Hyun Joon) so I'm hoping that we also see more original content and characterization as we go along.

July 28, 2017 at 8:53 PM

July 28, 2017 at 8:55 PM

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I dunno but something about the editing makes it a bit... tacky? And some characters feel forced. I was expecting Signal and Forest of Secrets' chic, polish and heartfelt acting. Don't get me wrong, I love Moon Chae Won and Lee Jun Ki and this seems to be a great drama for two great actors but it seems like a drama from 2007.

July 28, 2017 at 9:35 PM

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I agree that the editing seems off. I was especially annoyed by how the camera view kept switching so quickly from one character's face to another. My eyes actually hurt during this episode because of this. Also, I felt the director didn't capture the emotional scenes that well. I don't think the actors were at fault, but maybe it was the editing. It seemed like I was watching actors being filmed rather than watching people in this drama's fantasy world. I remember that I was impressed this director's work on Iris. Hopefully, episode 2 will be better.

July 28, 2017 at 11:56 PM

July 29, 2017 at 12:21 AM

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This is the direct quote about PD Lee leaving the show.

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"They were in a deep discussion regarding the editing and music processwhen there was a disagreement, which led to Lee Jung Hyo PD stepping down from his position as director". In response to this, the production company tried to persuade him. However, Lee Jung Hyo PD's agency CJ confirmed Lee Jung Hyo will no longer be directing the drama.
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I think that's one of the main reason why we see the weird editing and such. It seems like they also cut some of the scenes off. Not sure whether this is for good or for bad. I was counting on PD Lee on this and now he left and I'm just.. hanging.

July 28, 2017 at 9:14 PM

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As someone who hasn't watched the original series before, I have to say I'm looking forward to the next episodes :^) The relationships between the characters are intriguing, and hopefully we'll get to see the team grow closer to one another in solving more cases :-D

I think the only thing that slightly bothered me was the editing when Ki-hyung was briefing the team about the killer's profile, because the overlay of the killer's actions when Ki-hyung was speaking looked really awkward.

As of now, I'm happy to get Lee Jun-ki back in a drama again (I tried to love Moon Lovers, but it just wasn't for me ;-;)

July 28, 2017 at 9:24 PM

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I watch Criminal Minds occasionally but not enough to be spoiled if they do follow any of the original cases. Seems like the character counterparts are Hyun Joon - Morgan, Ki Hyung - Hotch/Rossi, Sun Woo - Prentiss, Na Hwang - Garcia, Min Young - JJ, Lee Han - Reid.

July 28, 2017 at 11:28 PM

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I think hyun joon and morgan didn't match because morgan is emotional but adaptable and Elle is the one that just added for the team after 2 episode and she resembles the way hyun joon thinking in some way, morgan is always part of the team, so for now, I didn't hyun joon as morgan but I can see hyun joon as a reprise from Elle.

Ki hyung is more like gideon but I think some character isn't the same with the OG and I am fine with it, actually, I encouraged it as long as they give their character a life.

July 28, 2017 at 9:47 PM

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I never watch US version of Criminal Minds, so my expectation for this drama was quite low. The first episode meets my expectation, but it's just there. It's not awesome to the point that I'd be sold. At this point, I solely watch this drama because of Lee Jun Ki, and not the storyline. Let's see how it goes for the next few episodes.

July 29, 2017 at 12:05 AM

July 28, 2017 at 9:52 PM

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I'm going to try this drama again next week after my first try wasn't a success to get me into this drama. There's no way I will give up without a fight, for these casts. Don't get me wrong, this is not a bad drama in general, but I just saw nothing new and there's not something really exciting for me to get into it. Sohn Hyun Joo is one of my fav veteran actors, that I don't want to miss him here. He just has that perfect combo of intense and nuance expressions, not to mention his charisma which I love. And I know I shouldn't be so greedy, but more Kim Yeong Cheol is definitely a better for me.

July 28, 2017 at 10:22 PM

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Exactly! This is what I dislike about characterisation and acting in this genre. Must everyone be either cool and stiff or an eccentric genius?

Don't get me wrong. I really like Son Hyun Joo. I see flashes of brilliance in his performance here but I think he can relax a little. I had the same problem with Kim Sang Joong in Bad Guys and I adore this guy. Well, it's not a problem with Korean dramas only, I have the same beef with American shows of the same genre.

July 29, 2017 at 12:51 AM

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As much as I love Kim Sang-joon, he is hit and miss for me.
Son Hyun-joo is much more talented and even a more reliable actor.
He is a professional at work and a father and husband when he is with his family.
I find him to be calm and collective during intense situation. That's why he was able to tell that the bomber was lying.
It's too bad his superior screwed it all up.

July 28, 2017 at 10:32 PM

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I watched the 1st episode and then to Secret Forest episode 14.
It's like watching Fast and Furious then moving on to Sherlock homes.
Overall, a good opener but not exactly excited. I want this show to be my take over of SF so please don't disappoint me!

July 28, 2017 at 10:34 PM

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I love Sun-woo already. I liked all three mains, IDK about the other three. Maybe if they get fleshed out later but for now they're neither here nor there, though I'd say Lee Han is definitely my least favorite.

It's been so long since the last time I watched CM. I used to watch and re-watch obsessively. I knew every case and every unsub but now I've forgotten everything. Maybe it's a good thing because I care so little about comparing the two. This is like watching another cop show, and I love the kdrama take on cop shows, it's more character centric and angstier.

July 28, 2017 at 10:40 PM

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I was really looking forward to this show, mainly because of LJG, but also because I heard that MCW is a good actress, the PDs were solid and so would be the writers. I even watched a few episodes of the original Criminal Minds in order to familiarise myself with the characters and general tone of the show.

My initial impression is, for a Korean re-make, it does a fairly good job. This first case is almost identical to the original. I do like some of the character changes and immediate background information, which makes it its own creation rather than just a copycat of the US version. I think some things had to be changed in order to be more accessible for a Korean audience and I liked it.

I have to admit I stopped watching the US version because it just got a bit too dark and twisted for me. I wonder if I will last given that the Korean version seems just as dark, if not darker in some instances.

LJG seems to have the easiest role, frankly, because he gets to play over-emotional, which he tends to do well. I'm not terribly sold on MCW, even though I know her to be a decent actress. I think she's supposed to be an ice queen, purely logical, get-it-done kind of woman...which should creation a good tension with LJG's character, but MCW seems so wooden and stiff. She also seems to deflte considerably in any scene with LJG. I'm also a bit disappointed in SHJ, but I think this is because I'm comparing him with Mandy Patinkin, which might be unfair. Lee Sun is also a bit too stiff in his intellectual exposition.

The character I'm most warm to is the computer guru, Played by Yoo Sun. She's intelligent, but spunky!

Hmmm....I sound rather critical of this show, which is a bummer since I really want to like it for the sake LJG and MCW. I may give it one more week.

July 28, 2017 at 10:48 PM

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*deflate

P.S. I agree with another Beanie that they way they decided to pace and edit this show meant that a lot of the profiling DID seem unsupported as opposed to the US version where it seemed always creditable.

But ya know, it's only the first episode, which is always a bit rough because you have to establish your "world" before moving into the real story.

July 28, 2017 at 10:46 PM

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As a viewer who isn't a fan of the original and not watching the show for Lee Jun Ki or Moon Chae Won, I found this boring.

Now that I've read that this week's case was an almost replica of the original, I wonder what was it that made it worked there but not here. I think the adaption isn't as good as it should be and I am not liking the directing either. I've got to disagree with @lovepark in that I find it lacking in tension and slow paced. I don't mean cheap tricks is it or that the drama must unfold at breakneck speed. I just don't feel that excitement, anxiety or tension like when I watched the first couple of episodes of recent crime dramas like Voice.

I think they spent some time to build the characters but strangely I don't feel for any of them except maybe a little for Ki-hyung. It doesn't help that I am not liking the main character Hyun Joon. His backstory is so cliche and so is his personality. Maybe I've reached my quota of hot tempered officers with a baggage or a chip on the shoulder especially those who jumps into action before they think.

Where Lee Jun Ki is playing it straight, Moon Chae Won is doing better with a harder job. I appreciate the little nuances she is giving to her character which would have easily come off as bland.

I've not watched the original but there must be something more than good which made it go into numerous seasons. Comparison aside, I just hope this Korean adaptation can be interesting and entertaining in its own right.

July 28, 2017 at 11:21 PM

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I think they spent some time to build the characters but strangely I don't feel for any of them except maybe a little for Ki-hyung. It doesn't help that I am not liking the main character Hyun Joon. His backstory is so cliche and so is his personality. Maybe I've reached my quota of hot tempered officers with a baggage or a chip on the shoulder especially those who jumps into action before they think.

Thanks, this is what exactly in my mind, you write it better than me.

I think the character building is all about the past and the present of them is not I can sympathise with because of the super tense facial expression for all of them.

I mean all of the main cast like the one who writes a book, the police officer and the girl [MCW], they all give the same kind of persona, as a very hurt person with very sad background and a very stressed facial expression, seo hyeon jae does a very good job portraying that but because many of them is the same character in the roots, it doesn't feel like I know any of them.

We have the genius but the acting is lacking [sorry] and the other also looked out of places. I felt like they lack credibility to be seen as a police officer or profiler for this week episode.

July 29, 2017 at 10:03 AM

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I too have enough of these 'hurt' people with stressed facial expression. There's a lot in kdramas, isn't it? Actually, I don't mind that the character has experienced a personal loss or tragedy. However, it's so cliche to go around looking stone faced or constipated all the time. If you are watching and up to date with FOS, let me draw a comparison. Yoon is also a character with personal loss but look at how the character is drawn and played in there. I don't even know who the actor is but he's excellent. You can feel his sadness, grief and anger with none of those stock expressions.

July 29, 2017 at 1:12 PM

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Kdrama has a lot of that character and it's okay,
I am not against hurt-sad-background but 2 ep with 3 characters+the criminal's backstory??

It's too much and technically, it also can make the viewer feel less attached to the main character.
It's like seeing the main guy suffer then you know the head office/boss also suffered and then you see the main girl suffered, then the victim and last the perpetrator also suffered character.

I watch Forest of Secret and if I remember it, the comparison is just lower cause Prosecutor Yoon is shady and hurts but his hurts face isn't that rigid, even Yeo Jin has a better attitude imo than the professional profilers about talking to people. They supposed to know human emotion better, if we follow that, they suppose to have a better understanding of other people and how to communicate but they aren't.
[nb : This comment is not about showing how bad CM KR is but how they can improve based on what FoS do better ]

July 29, 2017 at 12:39 AM

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For me, the biggest draw in the original was the really bizarre cases they solved in the first few seasons. These were cases that really made me go 'wtf!!!!!????'. That + the gruesomeness + team chemistry = great series. If the kversion taps on these, the drama might work.

July 29, 2017 at 4:01 AM

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I'm a fan of the original but I try to look at the adaptation (& other spin-offs) in their own right.. I like that they kept the gruesomeness that populated many of the criminal mind episodes-this was something I felt was missing from the spin-offs..however, I really dislike the 'hot tempered officer' trope and LJK 'excellent' emotional acting just makes the trope even more cringe to watch (I just wished he toned it down-overacting in some cases is bad acting too)..i have a few gripes with how some of the fan-favourite characters are not living up to expectations but that's because the writers couldn't make a good enough adaptation of those characters (I haven't watched the good wife k-version but i heard people liked Nana's character adaptation?)..I wish future episodes are more single episode cases-building the team chemistry, profiling, less personal stake cases (as shown at the end of episode 2)..
For those who haven't watched the original, 2 episodes fraught with character backstories and personal connections to cases seem to come too early in the series..

July 29, 2017 at 6:01 AM

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I'm one of the few that didn't like The Good Wife K-version. I liked so many characters from the original, but to be fair, I didn't like Julianna Margulies or Jeon Do-Yeon's portrayal of Alicia. Or maybe I just didn't like Alicia's character lol.

July 28, 2017 at 11:06 PM

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I find the show disjointed
- the editing is lacking and tacky [I am not a fan of super dark colour when they clearly didn't need to make the room dark, they did out just to make it looked creepy]
- the profiling isn't clear, like what is profiling, whar's the benefit and why?
- the characters are kind of the same [the same hurt-lone-heroes]
- the acting is awkward for the most part
- the pacing is super slow

and this is maybe the nitpicking part but I don't like how a character inserted in an investigation because their relative is somehow the victim because their character by itself actually doesn't need this trajectory to join the team at all.
The character didn't listen to anybody, I mean this is a show of profilers, people who understand crime but everyone looks in immense stress and be relax is not a crime.
They are supposed to be someone professional.

If I see this as adaptation, I feel disappointed because Criminal Minds is a show when they tell the criminal perspective in a discussion and they work as a team.
They have the disagreement but they are going to find the culprit by giving the most help and in here they just don't help each other and I don't see they giving theory, it somehow magical guesses.
Well if anyone wants to criticise the comparison, I think you can watch the 1st ep of CM Season 1, it just 40 minutes.

I am really sorry but out of FoS, Voice or even Tunnel, I find this opening is a so-so

July 28, 2017 at 11:32 PM

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The original CM is my fave. I love it tho i often scared at the criminals because theyre sick. Because often they have no idea that theyre doing something bad. These kind of criminals always creeps me out more than serial killers that often appear in K-thriller dramas. So i have pretty high hope with this K-CM.

July 28, 2017 at 11:46 PM

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I'm an avid fan of the original series and I went in wondering if the remake would live up to my expectations and YES IT DID!!!! I am loving the somewhat similar, yet different crimes in the first episode (my sister and I figured they were taking the crimes from episodes 1 and 4 of the first season of the original, but that's not important). I am really excited to see how the director puts his own spin on the classic crimes that made me fall in love with the original.

Speaking of falling in love, Lee Jun Ki's character has me totally hooked! That's not to say that the other character's aren't as interesting as he is - they definitely are - however, I am pleased that we already have the stresser, so to say, of why he's so against the NCI. I feel that if the show had left that as a sub-plot, it would have gotten lost in all the crime-solving drama we already have (hat's off to you, show). I like how we already have that psychological aspect of his character but now I need to see him kicking some serious butt with wonderfully choreographed action sequences and I will be complete.

I'm eager to see where the show takes our not-yet-formed team of profilers and if they'll stick to the original format or change it up a bit with their own flare!

July 29, 2017 at 12:12 AM

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I tried watching the 1st ep, but haven't finished it yet. I'm a little tired of seeing female victims kidnapped abused the eventually killed. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth as I see it become common in police procedurals and crime series. Oh well..

The editing was a little off, as well as the acting of most of the characters (except for LJK). I'm especially not feeling the k version of Garcia.. hmm but it might just be me.

On the up side the best scene in this episode was LJK and MCW profiling each other while she was driving. Lol. I can say these two will have some intense chemistry in the next episodes. You can see she was pissed right after he profiled her but she strarted it so...

July 29, 2017 at 12:17 AM

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again its only lee jun ki who shined . every thing else was so predictable and boring first scene of killer and i knew he is a murderer .and i dont know why but there was something in their profiling speech that made me roll my eyes than getting excited except when junki was telling mun chae woon character in a car only time i think its not merely a dialog it has feeling and depth . i love this kind of dramas such signal and bad guys ,may be this drama is not my cup of tea now

July 29, 2017 at 2:45 AM

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First thing first, nice soundtrack.
Lee Han is quirky indedd but not quite the same level of the original.
Love a good copy of a fashion criminal.
I LOVE Moon Chae won!
Only have two ep so far. So, we'll see...
But then again, we should treat this and the original as two different works.

July 29, 2017 at 3:06 AM

July 29, 2017 at 3:10 AM

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Wohooo!! It's finally here!
Thanks for the recap.
I'm struggling to find proper platform to watch this, it took almost 48 hours for viu app to upload this show. But hey, the waiting is worth it!
Totally love LJG as Hyunjoon, he stand out in so many good way. What's not to love about LJG? ?
What I think need some more character development would be Sunwoo and Lee Han. I know it's a korean remake CM and I'm a big fan of the original version, it just hard not to compare this to the original version. MCW can do better than this, because somehow I found her wooden stiff. I get it if the show want her to be the opposite end of hot headed Hyunjoon, but doesn't mean it has to be that stiff.
As for Lee Han.... I love Reid, with his lack of social skill doesn't mean you have to be some genius that looks like a bit retard. I, once again have to remind myself that let the korean version got their own interpretation but it just hard!
This CM got it's own American Korean style, and start of with good ratings too.
For those who got delicate heart, please beware with the explicit bloody crime scene and violent. I got to say that this is not everyone cup of tea ?

July 29, 2017 at 3:42 AM

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Gosh I really thought it was Hyun Joo's real brother who was the young operative that died. Since he seems to have been so close to him, he carried his picture during the funeral, plus I swore I heard him call the young operative's mom "omma"? But I guess I wasn't paying attention properly.

Anyway plot point aside, I get what everyone is saying, and agree that Lee Junki and Sohn Hyun Joo is the best part of this show so far. I too am not feeling Moon Chae Won's performance yet. But I hope next week will rectify that! And I hope they take a note from Voice and up their cliffhanger game.

But certainly right now I'm loving Lee Junki in this and it has made me a fan. Love his character in this and he is very swoony! So I'm sticking around for him! ?

July 29, 2017 at 4:10 AM

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I'm disappointed with the episode 1. The CGI didn't just look a 'little polished'. It looked crappy. The direction is awkward and the continuity of the scenes were off. The second half of episode 2 however seems better, and I truly hope it keeps up with the very high expectations from people. I am not judging based on my love with the original show, but how I truly think about this adaptation, on how it was played out. I trust the actors will deliver great performances. I'm more concerned about the direction and how they edit scenes. I hope it gets better. I truly do.

July 29, 2017 at 6:43 AM

July 29, 2017 at 6:45 AM

Edit: Sorry, I realized I mixed up the two episodes and put a mild spoiler in this one! Edited it out.

Comparison time! I'm only comparing objective episode observations, purely for fun and to see the differences in translation :)

Plot: The first two episodes are based on the Criminal Minds pilot "Extreme Aggressor" and the criminal's MO and partnership is very similar. That said, there are some significant differences I'll point out in the second episode. The team leader's bomb incident trauma did happen in the original but did not involve any other team members. This episode also brings up the Reaper (Boston Reaper in the original), one of the best criminals in the show imo.

Character: Everyone seems pretty much lifted from the original with some tweaks to fit the Korean palatte. Sun Woo is the biggest change in that she's much colder in personality than either Elle or Emily who she's an amalgam of. Interestingly, Sun Woo and Hyun Joon are based on the new guy(s) and a longstanding member from the original respectively but have a switched dynamic in this series with her as the cooler headed original team member and him as the hotblooded newbie. The tension between Hyun Joon and team is similar to the occasional disgruntled law enforcement that gets upset when the FBI took over a case they didn't want to give up or didn't deem important.

July 29, 2017 at 7:48 AM

It can't avoid to compare the original version toward Korean version since the original show is one of biggest show, Season 12th just ended on May 2017.

The Korean version of Spencer Reid is really pain to watch. I admitted that I skipped his scenes mostly. Please don't hate me, I'm trying to be honest here.

However thriller is my cup of tea and I'm enjoying the show so far thank's to Lee Joon-Gi and Son Hyun-Joo. It's my first time to see Moon Chae-Won in this genre. She is 'Emily Prentiss' (very level-headed and calm, highly intelligent, has a very sarcastic sense of humor) in original show, right? I'm curious...

July 29, 2017 at 7:50 AM

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It seems like I'm in the minority but I felt the first 2(4?) episodes were really disappointing. I like the original and I was curious what the Korean adaptation would look like, but this does not work for me at all. Hard to pinpoint what the problem is exactly but it probably has a lot to do with the fact that most characters feel like caricatures of the original rather than actual people. It does not help that the pseudo-science that the 'genius' spouts is so ridiculous that it obviously did not go through a minimal i-looked-it-up-on-wikipedia editorial screening. Grrr.

July 29, 2017 at 9:25 AM

July 29, 2017 at 9:43 AM

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I thought there were major issues with the directing since everything looked staged to me, but it turns out it was due to a setting getting switched on my tv lol.

As a fan of the original, I enjoyed seeing them approach a familiar case from a different perspective. I'm someone who enjoys adaptations in any form, so knowing the case didn't distract my enjoyment from it at all. In fact, it added an extra layer, because as they introduced all the characters, I was reminded of major events from CM's early seasons, and the show's potential just exploded. Hopefully, they don't hold back in the episodes to come!

July 29, 2017 at 10:08 AM

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I'm a fan of the original and I tried to avoid comparing because I took into account the cultural differences. So far I like how it was done I am just looking for more details as to how they came up with the profile. One of the things I love in the original is that I learn a thing or two about sadists, narcissists etc. I am ok with the actors, I need a little time to warm up to the genius and computer girl. My favorite characters are reid and garcia so I hope the counterparts would have a layer to them as well. I am not sure but the first case seems similar to the first episode of CM. I can't remember well because that was 13 years ago?

July 29, 2017 at 11:56 AM

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I would have liked it better if some of the scenes (and some scenes from the next ep) were moved up sooner. I think all the flashback scenes relating to Hyun Joon's hoobae should have been at the beginning, and there should have been at least one conversation between the two of them, not just the scene of Hyun Joon putting the helmet on him. It would have given it a more emotional impact to see the bond between the two of them before he died, to make the reader understand more the effect it had on him and why he became bitter about profiling. And I would have liked Sun Woo's character more if, when Hyun Joon said in the car he didn't trust profiling, she had said then that profiling isn't perfect but still helpful, instead of saying that later. Then, if he had reacted rudely to that statement, if she had done her show off performance of trying to profile him, it would have been more understandable to me and made me like her more. Instead, she just launched into, which to me seemed like a rookie mistake for someone who is supposed to be a talented profiler. He obviously has some bitterness there, so what was she trying to accomplish by trying to profile him? It was obvious all that would do would irritate him. It made her seem either not very good at reading people (which she's supposed to be) or unnecessarily antagonistic, and I don't think that's what her character is supposed to be--and that's a problem with the writing, not the acting.